1. Field of Invention
The current invention relates to security tags and more particularly, discloses a combination electronic article surveillance and ultrahigh frequency tag, and method of making the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Tracking or detecting the presence or removal of retail items from an inventory or retail establishment comes under the venue of electronic article surveillance (EAS), which also now includes radio frequency identification (RFID). EAS or RFID detection is typically achieved by applying an EAS or RFID element as part of a security tag to the item or its packaging and when these security tags are exposed to a predetermined electromagnetic field (e.g., pedestals located at a retail establishment exit), they activate to provide some type of alert and/or supply data to a receiver or other detector.
It has become desirable to include two elements on, or in, a single security tag wherein each security element responds to a different interrogator/reader system. By way of example only, two EAS elements, or two RFID elements or an EAS element and an RFID element may be positioned on or in a single security tag. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,769 (Kajfez, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,195 (Narlow, et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,109,867 (Forster). Thus, it may be desirable to read the RFID element of a tag attached to an article for inventory purposes while interrogating the EAS element if the tagged article should be removed from a store exit without having been purchased. Other variations of providing loop/antenna configurations on a single substrate are exemplied by Texas Instrument's Dallas Inlay or Impinj's Propellor.
Commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,129,843 (Piccoli, et al.) entitled “LC Resonant Circuit with Amplification Device” discloses an amplification shield that surrounds an EAS circuit. Commonly-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 11/540,000 filed Oct. 10, 2006 entitled “Security Tag for Cigarette Pack” (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0146142) discloses a security tag formed from the metal liner of a cigarette pack whereby a security element is surrounded by a metal path. Both of these references are incorporated by reference herein.
However, there remains a need for manufacturing a combined security element that combines EAS with UHF characteristics using the same conductive material, as well providing an enhanced EAS response signal. Furthermore, there remains a need to deactivate the far-field reading capability of a security tag while maintaining a near-field read capability.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.